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DIRECTORY

Best Fantasy Writing Contests in 2025

Showing 49 contests that match your search.

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Season Themes

HAVOK Publishing

Genres: Fantasy, Flash Fiction, Mystery, Science Fiction, Short Story, and Thriller

Season Themes is a flash fiction contest that invites authors to create stories inspired by monthly themes and prompts. Each theme features a specific character prompt that authors must incorporate into their stories, allowing for creative interpretations across various genres.

Top Prize:

$100

Additional prizes:

Publication in an anthology. Potential for larger gift card wins.

📅 Deadline: January 17, 2025 (Expired)

Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, Short Story, and Fantasy

The Not Quite Write Prize for FLESH Fiction invites submissions of erotic stories up to 1,500 words based on the theme 'Making the unsexy irresistible'. The competition is open to adults worldwide, free to enter, and aims to explore creative interpretations of erotic fiction. Judging is blind, and winners will be announced publicly.

Top Prize:

$500 AUS

Additional prizes:

Total prize pool of AU$1,000 plus a range of "spicy" prizes and a chance at print publication.

💰 Entry fee: $0

📅 Deadline: August 24, 2025

Wonder Fiction Battle

Writing Battle, Inc.

Genres: Fiction, Short Story, Fantasy, and Flash Fiction

The Wonder 2025 Flash fiction Battle is part of the Writing Battle series, where participants write stories based on prompts. Participants receive feedback from professionals.

Top Prize:

$3,400

Additional prizes:

$3400 prize for 4x Genre Winners; $500 prize for 4x Genre Runner-ups. Winners receive online publication, feedback from industry professionals

💰 Entry fee: $39

📅 Deadline: April 13, 2025 (Expired)

Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Suspense, and Thriller

The Story Unlikely Short Story Contest encourages submissions of all genres, with a focus on quality storytelling. The contest aims to revive the art of storytelling and embraces a variety of narratives without restrictions on age or location.

Top Prize:

$1,500

Additional prizes:

2nd: $1,000; 3rd: $500; All winning stories will be published with illustrations. Honorable mentions receive certificates and potential publication.

💰 Entry fee: $0

📅 Deadline: January 31, 2025 (Expired)

North Street Book Prize

Winning Writers

Genres: Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, Poetry, Children's, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Thriller, and Young Adult

The North Street Book Prize focuses on self-published or hybrid-published books, offering significant cash prizes and marketing services to enhance visibility. The contest has been running for 11 years and encourages entries across various genres.

Top Prize:

$10,000

Additional prizes:

$1,000 for top winner in each category | $300 for honorable mentions

💰 Entry fee: $85

📅 Deadline: July 01, 2025 (Expired)

Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, Short Story, Crime, Fantasy, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, and Thriller

The Winter Flash Fiction Battle is an engaging contest where writers compete by creating stories based on given prompts. Participants write a story of up to 1000 words within three days. The contest emphasizes community feedback and professional judging.

Top Prize:

Genre Winner (x4): $$3,400

Additional prizes:

Genre Runner-up (x4): $800 | Genre Semi-Finalist (x8): $400

💰 Entry fee: $25

📅 Deadline: February 01, 2025 (Expired)

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Science Fiction, and Suspense

An annual fiction competition recognizing the finest speculative fiction. All forms of previously unpublished fiction are accepted, including fairy tales, magical realism, and science fiction. Winners may be published in the North American Review's summer issue.

Top Prize:

$1,000

Additional prizes:

Publication opportunities for runners-up and honorable mentions

💰 Entry fee: $23

📅 Deadline: November 02, 2024 (Expired)

Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, Short Story, Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Thriller, and Young Adult

The competition is open for submissions themed 'The Evolution of Love'. Each entry will be edited, judged based on various writing criteria, and selected works will be published in an anthology.

Top Prize:

$500

Additional prizes:

2nd: $250 | 3rd: $150

💰 Entry fee: $25

📅 Deadline: March 01, 2025 (Expired)

Genres: Christian, Fantasy, Novel, Novella, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, and Young Adult

The Christy Award, established in 1999, celebrates novels that explore themes of faith and their influence on modern culture. Over the years, these awards have become a cornerstone event that brings together writers and publishers within the Christian literary community.

Top Prize:

The Christy Book of the Year Award.

💰 Entry fee: $175

📅 Deadline: March 31, 2025 (Expired)

Writers of the Future

Writers of the Future

Genres: Fiction, Short Story, Fantasy, and Science Fiction

The Writers of the Future Contest, initiated by L. Ron Hubbard in 1983, supports new writers in science fiction and fantasy, judged by leading authors. Winners receive cash prizes and recognition. The contest encourages original works and offers a platform for upcoming writers.

Top Prize:

$5,000

📅 Deadline: December 31, 2024 (Expired)

Chapter One Prize

Gutsy Great Novelist

Genres: Fiction, Novel, Young Adult, Crime, Fantasy, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, and Thriller

The Chapter One Prize is an international writing contest for unpublished novelists. It aims to find the best opening chapter of a novel-in-progress written in English. Submissions open on February 3, 2025, and close on March 3, 2025.

Top Prize:

$1,000

Additional prizes:

2nd: $500 | 3rd: $250. Honorable mentions may also be awarded.

💰 Entry fee: $20

📅 Deadline: March 03, 2025 (Expired)

Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, Short Story, Crime, Fantasy, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Thriller, and Young Adult

The 7 Day Story Writing Challenge invites participants to write a story based on a secret theme assigned to them, within a specified genre, over a period of 7 days. Participants must write a story of no more than 2,000 words.

Top Prize:

£500

Additional prizes:

Publication on website

💰 Entry fee: $0

📅 Deadline: April 22, 2024 (Expired)

Heart Fiction Battle

Writing Battle

Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult

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Top Prize:

$1,500

Additional prizes:

Genre Runner-up (x4): $375 Feedback by industry professionals

💰 Entry fee: $20

📅 Deadline: August 02, 2024 (Expired)

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Humor, Mystery, Science Fiction, Science Writing, and Short Story

The competition invites elementary and middle school students to submit short stories (maximum 350 words) based on a monthly theme. Winners receive recognition and prizes, including Amazon gift cards and publication in the Hall of Fame.

Top Prize:

$25

Additional prizes:

1st place: $25 Amazon gift card 2nd place: $15 Amazon gift card 3rd place: $5 Amazon gift card All winners are published in the Hall of Fame.

📅 Deadline: January 28, 2025 (Expired)

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